Noncancerous (benign) breast conditions are common. In fact, most changes that people notice in their breasts fall into this category.

It can sometimes be difficult to tell these issues apart from breast cancer. Also, some of them can increase the chance of breast cancer in the future, so accurately diagnosing and treating them are important.

Here are the signs and symptoms that may signify a noncancerous condition.

More common among people in their 20s and 30s, fibroadenomas are benign breast tumors.

If very small, you may not be able to feel a lump. But if big enough, they can resemble a marble and be moved under the skin. They aren’t painful to the touch but may feel firm or rubbery.

Simple fibroadenomas, which look the same all over when examined under a microscope, don’t seem to have a significant effect on the future risk of breast cancer.

On the other hand, complex fibroadenomas — which have other atypical cell changes — can increase the risk of cancer slightly more than the simple type.

Lumps resulting from a collection of fibrous tissue are known as fibrocystic changes. These are relatively common.

In addition to a noticeable lump, which may feel firm or rubbery, you may experience swelling, tenderness, or pain in your breasts and potentially nipple discharge. Symptoms may worsen before your period.

Experts don’t believe that these changes increase the risk of breast cancer.

Cysts are sacs filled with fluid. They can start unnoticeably small and grow as the fluid builds up. They’re quite common, they typically feel round or oval, and they can be moved inside the breast.

If you have a cyst, you may notice that it gets bigger and may feel painful before your period.

Cysts that are filled entirely with fluid aren’t linked to a higher risk of breast cancer. However, cysts that have cloudy fluid or irregular borders may need further examination to check for cancer.

Typically due to an infection, mastitis is when there’s swelling in the breast. It’s often associated with nursing, specifically when milk ducts clog or the skin of the nipple breaks.

Other causes include skin conditions or piercings on or around the nipple area, smoking, breast implants, and a weakened immune system.

As well as swelling, you may notice that the skin feels hot and painful to the touch. It may also look red or flushed.

Other symptoms include nipple discharge with streaks of blood, a hard area on the affected breast, and flu-like feelings, such as fatigue, aching, and a high temperature.

Mastitis doesn’t influence the later risk of breast cancer.

These benign wart-like tumors can grow inside milk ducts and lead to clear or blood-streaked nipple discharge. The lump is typically small and sits behind or next to the nipple.

If the growth is farther away from the nipple, you’re less likely to see discharge. And there are more likely to be several growths close together.

One papilloma that has no irregular features isn’t a concern. However, multiple papillomas can slightly raise the risk of breast cancer.

If a milk duct widens and the walls become thicker, the duct can block, and fluid can build up inside it. This is known as duct ectasia. It’s more common in people nearing menopause.

There are often no visible symptoms with this condition. In some cases, the nipple may discharge a sticky and thick fluid, or the nipple and nearby areas may look red or flushed and feel tender.

A hard lump can form due to scar tissue inside the breast, which some people may confuse with breast cancer. Duct ectasia doesn’t make it more likely that you’ll get breast cancer, though.

Adenosis is when glands that produce milk, known as lobules, get bigger.

If scar tissue affects the lobules, you may notice pain and a lump in your breast, and you may have a slightly higher chance of breast cancer in the future. But there’s no evidence of adenosis with no scar tissue affecting future breast cancer risk.

If fatty breast tissue becomes damaged, either naturally or through surgery or radiation treatment, fat necrosis can occur.

Fat cells can die, forming oil cysts filled with a greasy fluid. With time, calcium deposits can begin to form around the walls of these cysts.

You’ll generally be able to feel a lump with this condition, and you may notice that the skin around it is inflamed, bruised, or thicker. But there shouldn’t be any pain, and you won’t have a higher chance of breast cancer because of it.

Although they’re not actually scars, radial scars look like them under a microscope. Instead, they’re areas of hardened tissue. They often occur in both breasts.

Typically, you won’t notice any symptoms if you have a radial scar. Often, healthcare professionals can only detect them during a biopsy or a mammogram, and they can look similar to breast cancer. They can also slightly raise the risk of breast cancer.

When cells that line milk-producing glands or ducts increase in production, an overgrowth of such cells can occur. This is known as hyperplasia.

There are two types of hyperplasia:

  • Usual hyperplasia means that the cells look fairly typical. The risk of breast cancer with this type is around one to two times higher than in people without hyperplasia.
  • Atypical hyperplasia means that the cells appear atypical. There’s around a four to five times higher chance of breast cancer with this type.

Often, the only way to know if you have hyperplasia is through a mammogram followed by a biopsy.

With lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), atypical cells begin to grow in the lining of the milk-producing glands. They remain there and don’t spread anywhere else, unlike cancer.

There are three types of LCIS:

  • Classic LCIS is where the cells are smaller.
  • Pleomorphic LCIS is where the cells are bigger and look more unusual.
  • Florid LCIS is where the cells have grouped together and formed a mass.

Pleomorphic and florid LCIS can cause a lump that you can feel. But most of the time, healthcare professionals only find LCIS through a breast biopsy that they’ve done for another reason.

Although LCIS isn’t cancerous, it can mean that you’re more likely to get breast cancer later on. The risk is seven to 12 times higher.

Lots of noncancerous changes can occur in the breast, with some more common than others.

Not all of them result in noticeable lumps. Other signs and symptoms include tenderness, skin changes, and nipple discharge.

If you’re ever concerned about changes to your breasts, it’s best to book a doctor’s appointment as soon as possible.


Lauren Sharkey is a U.K.-based journalist and author specializing in women’s issues. When she isn’t trying to discover a way to banish migraine, she can be found uncovering the answers to your lurking health questions. She has also written a book profiling young female activists across the globe and is currently building a community of such resisters. Catch her on X.